There are many reasons to let out a sigh of relief and embrace a sense of hope as summer approaches. This week alone, we’ve experienced a weekend of sunshine and 90-degree weather, the lifting of a year-plus long mask mandate, and a three-day Memorial Day weekend. As the holiday serves as the unofficial kick-off to the summer season, let’s channel positive energy into preparing ourselves for having the post-COVID summer we have all longed for. With that in mind, we’ve got great advice on summer skin care and swimsuit confidence, as well as more tips for a happy, healthy, long-overdue summer.

Soak Up The Sun (in Moderation)

As the weather warms, so rises the outdoor UV index and thus, the need to protect our skin. Before considering SPF, start with a new natural skincare routine. This article from Healthline offers “everything you need to know to start a natural skin care routine” and provides home remedies for specific skin types including oily, dry, combination, acne prone, sensitive and Black skin.

Protecting your skin from the sun is one of the most important ways you can care for your body during the summer. Check out Allure’s “Dermatologist-Approved Guide for Summer Skin Care” for tips that go beyond your typical “wear sunscreen.” The article encourages you to go lighter on the moisturizer, use a vitamin C serum, exfoliate your skin, and stay hydrated. For more tips, check out this guide on how to adapt your skincare routine to the summer weather. The article adds that you should remove dull winter skin, remove oil and bacteria, and to remember to apply sunscreen to your face and lips as well as your body.

Wearing sunblock should be a no-brainer in the summer, regardless of how long your exposure will be. And trust me — yes, you can still get a tan when wearing sunblock. If you’re looking to spice up your sunscreen choices, Healthline encourages you to use mineral sunscreens and offers 11 of the best mineral sunscreens. The article also outlines the difference between mineral sunscreens and chemical sunscreens, stating “mineral sunscreens sit on the surface of the skin and physically block rays like a shield; [while] chemical sunscreens sink into the skin, where they absorb rays with any of six active ingredients.”

 

For more of the latest dermatologist-recommendations on sunscreen, check out this article from U.S News, which offers advice on the importance of reading the label and choosing the right sunscreen for your skin type. It also explains why it should be “broad spectrum,” when and how often to apply, and more.

A friend of mine recently went to the eye doctor for a benign freckle in her cornea. She told me that her doctor stressed the importance of sunglasses, saying that they are “literally sunblock for your eyeballs.” So when you’re protecting your skin this summer, don’t forget your eyes and check out these 6 tips to protecting them. Use it as an excuse to buy a fashionable pair of new sunglasses.

Feel Good, Look Good

Now that we are beginning to experience a return to normal or something close to it, many of us may be noticing the toll that quarantine has taken on us physically. Before jumping back into anything, read these five “expert-approved” tips on how to ease back into exercise, which include pacing yourself, using your warmup to check in with your body, and to understand how the stress of the past year has changed you.

When it comes to attaining that “beach body,” I first want to encourage you that there are over 7 billion people in the world and every single person’s body is different. It is easy to look at social media influencers and wish to flaunt the same six pack and toned legs, but realistically, bodies like that are often unattainable — and edited. When exercising, make your goal to first and foremost feel good, because with a positive, healthy, happy mindset, looking good is guaranteed. U.S News has recently published a really important article on how to feel good in a bathing suit this summer. No, it doesn’t offer a “beach body” fitness routine, but instead advice on buying a good, comfortable bathing suit, how to inspire body positivity in others, getting social support, and caring less to gain confidence.

Physical activity is essential to your health in the summer, however, and working out under the sweltering sun poses risks. Check out these 12 tips for exercising in the summer heat. After the last year we have all endured, make this a summer of self care both inside and out. So if you decide to click on any links today, at least make it this one: 21 Tips to an Amazing Summer of Self-Care.

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Massachusetts COVID-19 Update

Governor Baker Files Legislation to Extend Certain COVID-19 Emergency Measures​

Gov. Charlie Baker will file legislation to extend certain emergency measures currently in place via executive orders that are set to expire on June 15 when the State of Emergency will be rescinded. Most restrictions, including limitations placed on businesses, will be rescinded effective Saturday, May 29, as Massachusetts nears the goal of vaccinating four million residents.

To allow public bodies to safely meet during the pandemic and ensure public access to meetings, Baker issued an executive order in March 2020 allowing these bodies to meet quorum requirements even if meetings were held remotely through electronic means as long as measures were taken to ensure the public with electronic access to the proceedings. The bill will extend these provisions related to the commonwealth’s Open Meeting Law until September 1, which will allow additional time to consider possible permanent changes to the open meeting law to provide for greater flexibility in conducting open meetings through reliance on electronic streaming and similar measures. The bill will also grant municipalities authority to extend special permits for restaurants offering outdoor dining issued under the State of Emergency through November 29.

The legislation will also extend a protection adopted in an executive order that prohibits medical providers from billing patients who have received COVID-related emergency and inpatient services for charges in excess of costs paid by their insurers. As filed, the protection would extend until January 1, 2022, at which time recently passed federal legislation that included protections for both emergency and non-emergency cases will become effective.

Last week, Baker announced that on May 29, all industries will be permitted to open.

With the exception of remaining face-covering requirements for masks in public and private transportation systems, hospitals and other facilities housing vulnerable populations, all industry restrictions will be lifted at that time, and capacity will increase to 100% for all industries. The gathering limit will be rescinded.

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GOOD READS

Look Up! TODAY is a special day in space. In what Good News Network is calling the “sky spectacle of the year,” today, Wednesday, May 26, will feature both a total lunar eclipse and a full super moon. Dust off the old telescope and read more about it here.

Not COVID, Just Allergies. Have you noticed that allergies have seemed to be far more intense this year? You’re not alone. Personally, my eyes have been itchier than ever this year! This article takes a look at the numerous factors contributing to the increase in airborne pollen this year.

Aches and Cracks. Do your knees crack when you workout? Mine seem to crack every time I stand up. This article from U.S. News describes crepitus, which is the audible friction between bone and cartilage, how it is normal for your body, and what it may indicate for your knees in the future.